U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for a urgent cease-fire in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo saying Washington was "deeply troubled" by a recent escalation in the fighting.

A conflict that has raged for decades reached a flashpoint this week when rebels backed by Rwanda marched on a key Congolese city in a bid to occupy territory and exploit minerals.

We call for an immediate ceasefire and end to this fighting. Rwanda must withdraw troops from the DRC. Rwanda and the DRC must return to the negotiating table and work toward a sustainable, peaceful solution,

Rwanda-backed fighters controlled most of the besieged DR Congo city of Goma on Wednesday as residents slowly emerged from their homes after days of deadly fighting in the key mineral trading hub.The M23 armed group and Rwandan troops have seized the airport and most of the centre and neighbourhoods since marching into the eastern provincial capital on Sunday after a lightning offensive.

There was gunfire Tuesday in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city of Goma, as the United Nations warned of a worrying humanitarian situation amid clashes between Congolese soldiers and Rwandan-backed rebels who attacked the area and claimed to be in control.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pressed Rwanda for an immediate ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo as he voiced alarm over Kigali-backed rebels entering the key city of Goma.

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo - The United States, France and Britain pressured Rwanda on Sunday over its support for rebels rapidly closing in on eastern Congo's largest city, as government forces struggled to halt an offensive that has forced thousands of civilians to flee.

The president of crisis-hit Democratic Republic of Congo was set to meet his Rwandan counterpart at an emergency summit on Wednesday, as fighters backed by Kigali appeared on the brink of seizing the key city of Goma.

The United States urged the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to consider measures to halt an offensive by Rwandan troops and M23 rebel forces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as a conflict there escalates.

The call came as the US urged the UN Security Council to consider measures to halt an offensive by Rwandan troops

Rwanda-backed rebels claim they have captured eastern Congo’s largest city, Goma, as the United Nations describe a “mass panic” among its 2 million people and Congo’s government say the rebel advance was a “declaration of war.